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A Pictorial History 



of the 



(Stoat laytfltt Mtttth 




MARCH 25, 26, 27, 1913 



A Pictorial History 



of th, 



Great Dayton Flood 



March 25, 26, 27, 1913 



Prepared by 

Nellis R. Funk 



Dayton, Ohio 

The Otterbein Press 

1913 



Copyright, 1913 
By the U. B. Publishing House 

\V. K. Funk, Agent 
Dayton, Ohio 



©CI.A346610 



FOREWORD 

The terrible floods which devastated large parts of our Cen- 
tral States in March, 1913, wrought the greatest havoc in the valley 
of the Great Miami and particularly in the city of Dayton. 

Among the people of the flooded territory there has risen a 
great demand for a reliable souvenir in book form of this disaster. 
Also among those of other parts of the country there is great in- 
terest concerning the details of the great flood. Since Dayton is 
the greatest sufferer and the producer of the most sensational 
phases of the flood situation, this book is presented from the Day- 
ton standpoint exclusively. 

Words fail absolutely to tell such a story, so this book is of 
necessity largely pictorial. ( )ut of many hundreds of pictures taken 
during the flood, we have selected the best. They show as well as 
pictures can what Dayton looked like when Main Street was a river 
twelve feet deep. 

This book is produced to supply the demand mentioned above 
but more especially that it may be instrumental in keeping in mind 
the terrors of 1913. Great cities have been visited by calamities 
of this kind more than once. It is the hope of the publishers that 
Dayton will not permit a recurrence of such a disaster. Our civic 
calamity has brought out great leaders among our citizenship who 
before another year will point the way to a bigger, better, safer, and 
more beautiful Dayton. The Publishers. 



CONTENTS 



Descriptive. 

Foreword 3 

Flood Facts 5-8 

Ackn< »wledgment 25 

Water I *lus Fire 34 

.Map of Flood District 32-33 

"Resolved" 42 

Pictorial. 

Business District (, -41 

Dayton View 42-43 

Riverdale 44-47 

North 1 )ayton 48-53 

S« luth 1 'ark 54-59 

West Dayton 60-63 



THE FLOOD 

Its Cause and Some Effects 



The cause of the floods of March, 1 ( '13, which devastated such a large part 
of our Middle States, was record-breaking rainfall. The people of Dayton were 
certain that the disaster was due to the breaking of reservoirs in central and 
western Ohio. In fact reports of the bursting of the reservoir at Lewistown 
were given official circulation and thousands of people went scurrying panic 
stricken to the hills. This was after the crest of the flood had passed. 

The Weather Department reports that over central ( )hio in the short period 
of forty-eight hours there was an average rainfall of five and seven-tenth inches 
and in one district the fall for this period registered ten inches. Over three 
thousand square miles were covered with water. 

This unprecedented rainfall was caused by the meeting of three opposing air 
currents. One from the west, which was the tail end of the cyclone that did such 
great damage on Easter day in Omaha; another was a cold current from the 
northeast, and the third was a warm current from the south. The collision of 
these mighty air forces caused the rainfall which broke all records for this part of 
the country. 

The clouds bit off more than the rivers could swallow so the surplus was 
disgorged into our streets, mounted the front stoop, rang the bell and being 
ignored, broke in doors and windows, entering our first floors in force. Some 
of us were driven for safety to the up-stairs, then to the garret, and finally we 
punched a hole in the roof and clung to its slipperv surface for two nights and 
days while Dame Nature first soaked us with rain then chilled us with snow. 
Some perished, but most of us by the aid of a thousand miracles were saved. 
We are very busy now putting our city into good working order and succeeding 
remarkably well, but when a moment comes for quiet thought we wonder in 
a dazed sort of way, what protecting Power saved our lives, numbering so 
many thousand, from a horrible death. And since we knelt at our mother's knee, 
until we gave up hope of life on that terrible night, we had perhaps forgotten 
to pray. 



If the mad waters have taught us a becoming humility, and that human in- 
telligence is but microscopic a> compared to the All Wise Creator of us all. it may 
be yet a blessing in disguise. 

Several other causes assisted in accentuating the flood in the city of Dayton. 
Three tributary streams empty into the Great Miami within one mile of each 
other inside the citv limits and it is a strange Tact that as each stream enters the 
main river the channel perceptibly narrows. At the north where the Sillwater 
emptier into the .Miami the channel between levees i> eight hundred feel wide, a 
half mile south at the confluence of the Mad River, the channel narrows to seven 
hundred feet, a little farther down. Wolf (reek finds a channel of about sixhun 
dred feet and south of Dayton the combined volume of these four streams must 
negotiate a five hundred foot course. The X. ('. R. lecturer in giving these 
figures asserts that "there is nothing wrong with our river ma]) except that it is 
up side d> 

For the last tift\ years property owners have encr ached on the river chan 
nel and the United State- Government Commissioners are to blame for this 
rather than the city officials. 

The river bottom has been gradually filled with deposits of gravel and 
islands are numerous with dense growths of underbrush and even trees. Thus 
al nines of extreme high water the bridges become dams, backing the water up 
dangerously in front of them. In Mich a case either the bridge or levees must go 
or the levees he overtopped. < )f our six bridges spanning the main stream, the 
four sLeele-ccncrete structures held like adamant. The steel Fifth Street bridge 
and the railroad bridge were carried down. It made little difference that the 
latter was weighted with loaded coal cars and when this bridge went down the 
water is reported to have fallen eighteen inches. 

The three first pictures we show on pages nine and ten evidence the rapidity 
of the rising water which first appeared at Main and Fourth streets at nine a.m. 
Fort) minutes later it was three feet deep and at one p.m. easily ten feet had 
been reached and of a beautiful city covering sixteen square miles over half was 
submerged. As the flooded area included the entire business district, the mer- 
chandise loss ran on estimate close to $15,000,000. The loss to rail- 
road property will probably reach $10,000,000. Of local concerns, the Barney 
& Smith Car ( ompany were probably the heaviest losers. 

After two terrible days, Thursday morning found people still marooned on 
snovs covered housetops. There was an explosion at Main and Vine streets. 
No one could swim tlie current, so one' man showed the others a way of escape 
by walking three squares on aerial telephone cables. In this way thirty people 
were saved. An aged couple were marooned in a small house only one hundred 

G 



feet from dry land, but on account of the current, the rescuers were unable to 
reach them, every boat being capsized. They were finally rescued by backing 
freight cars in front of the house and using ladders. Three minutes later the 
house was washed from its foundation and dashed to pieces. 

The National Cash Register Compam- was fortunate in having their own 
water works, heating plant and lighting system. They served two thousand 
seven hundred and fifty meals every day. The people who prepared them were 
not all employees of the X. C. R. Women whose homes were not in the flooded 
districts came and offered their services and worked day and night. Sixteen 
thousand sandwiches were made daily and distributed to men doing relief work. 
Two thousand five hundred baskets were given out each day to families. Motor- 
cycle riders did excellent service by carrying messages and information from one 
relief station to another. 

Other parts of Dayton did not have the conveniences of the N. C. R., but 
they were thoroughly organized and got along nicely. St. Mary's College had 
five hundred refugees. Every room in the Miami Valley Hospital was filled with 
patients. They had no heat or water and all the food for the patients was pre- 
pared at St. Mary's College. Camp Rhoades, a city of tents, is for the X. C. R. 
employees who were made homeless by the flood. The tents are furnished with 
heat, water, electric light, and other conveniences. 

A train load of three hundred passengers was marooned for several days in 
the Union Station. All they had to eat was a case of chocolate creams which 
some thoughtful person carried with him to the second floor. Their diet for 
two days was chocolate creams and rain water. 

Complete show cases filled with jewelry floated out of the windows of the 
Xewsalt Jewelry Store. Many churches were badly damaged. Automobiles 
were carried three or four squares away. A street car was buffeted about for 
three hundred feet and finally landed in a cellar. Fifteen hundred pianos played 
their last tune. Sheds were washed away and some of them landed on the 
roofs of small houses. A good story is to the effect that one house floated 
four squares away, landed on another foundation, and fitted exactly. Quite a 
discussion arose as to who was the owner of the house. 

Not only property owners and merchants in the cities were heavy losers, but 
farmers whose fertile farms were washed out and nothing left but beds of gravel 
and sand. Twenty-six other cities were affected by the flood. The real estate 
loss is estimated at many millions. 

Many people were without food and drink from forty-eight to sixty hours. 
As soon as the water went down, drinking water was taken about town in water 
carts. 

7 



North Dayton lies lower than any other section of the city. [ndustries in 
this pari of the city suffered heavy losses. < )n one roof a horse and mule were 
stranded. 

A.bout one hundred people were in the buildings which burned, but as far 
as can be learned, no lives were lost. 

The current was so strong in some places thai steel boats were crushed, a 
street car landed up-side-down in front of the W. C. A. building and immense 
stones were carried great distances. 

Eighty-five thousand people were taken care of by the Relief Stations. The 
Red (,"n»> Society spent $1,600,000.00. Xine or ten thousand families were 
registered and taken care of. 

ddie levees and bridges have been rebuilt and made stronger. Thousands 

of tons of dirt were removed from the streets. Sixteen districts for sanitation 
were established and the sanitation committee made house-to-house inspection. The 
militia has protected the homes and business houses and greal credit is due to 
Adjutant General George Wood. 

Fourteen hundred dead horses have been removed from the streets. 

Every one is optimistic. The outlook for Dayton is good. Papers are full 
of ads for help wanted and big buildings will be erected regardless of the flood. 
Merchants will do more business in one vear as in any other two years. 

Governor Cox traveled ten days visiting the twenty-six towns in the Hood. 

In the San Francisco earthquake, twenty-live thousand were made homeless 
and the loss was $600,000,000.00. They had the courage to rebuild in the exact 
places they were before and have no way of protecting themselves against earth- 
quake. We can protect ourselves against flood, and this protection we will have 
al < »nce at any c< >st. 



CENTRAL DISTRICT 





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Water Invading Main Street. 

This picture was taken at exactly 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 25, 1913. Note the Auto 

in lower left corner. Taken from the tenth floor, U. B. Bldg. 

Photo copyright, 1913, by U. B. Publishing House. 




Three Feet of Water in Main Street. 

Auto shown above is being carried away by the current. Photo from the U. B. Bldg. 
exactly forty minutes after the first picture had been taken. Photo 
copyright, 1913, by the U. B. Publishing House. 




BUSINESS DISTRICT 




Ten Feet of Water in Main Street. 

Taken from the U. B. Bldg., at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, March S>, 1913, immediately after the collapse 
of the Leonard Building. At its crest the flood here reached a depth of twelve feet. Thus point 'is 
one-half block from the business center of Dayton. Photo copyright 191:;, by the V. IS. Pub. House. 




High Water in West Fourth Street. 



\t tin I'n-' I B Church, three blocks west, tin ivatei reached a depth 6 To the 

left i iii toi Bii '' Club and ' ■ ■ M I Church. Photo copyright, 1913, by the 

(J. B. P H 

10 



CENTRAL DISTRICT 




Getting Rid of a Part of the Flood. 

This pump is pouring through its 7-inch mouth a miniature flood into Main Street. 
Shows the entrance to the U. B. Building, Dayton's most imposing skyscraper. 




A Small Part of the Ruined Stock of the U. B. Publishing House. 

About $60,000 of merchandise alone was lost by this concern. In this pile of refuse 
are thousands of books, including hundreds of Bibles. 

11 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 




As the Water Looked at Night. 

Davies Building and Newsalt's Jewelry Store to the left and the Reibold Building 
in the background. Photo copyright, 1913, by the U. B. Publishing House. 







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Looking West, on Third Street from Main. 

Showing Phillips House and the Arcade Entrance. This corner is the civic and 

business center of Dayton. Note the high water mark on the 

Arcade entrance in the center. 



CENTRAL DISTRICT 



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Boating in Maple Street near Perry. 




Barney and Smith Car Works. 
This company is one of the heaviest flood losers. 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 




Receding Water in North Main Street. 
Photo from t he old Court House. Heavy stone column undermined by current. 




East Third Street, from Main. 

e awaj maj b< seen the ruin- of buildings left by the greal fire 
which threatened the whole business section. 

14 



CENTRAL DISTRICT 




Poor Chance for a Boat in West Third Street. 

Arcade entrance in center. Dayton's beautiful wide streets gave the current 
an excellent chance to run rampant. It did. 




Corner of Third and Ludlow. 
Showing Algonquin Hotel and the new Post-office in course of construction. 



15 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 




A Heavy Traction Car. 
Wrecked by the fierce current that swept around the corner of Third and Ludlow. 




Another Effect of the Wild Current. 

Residence on West Third Street in bad plight. State Guardsman 
on the lookout for looters. 

l(i 



CENTRAL DAYTON 




Fourth Street, East of Ludlow. 




Fourth Street, West of Ludlow. 

Central District School to right cf center and First U. P>. Church in extreme right. 
A horse swam into the latter building and found safety in the choir loft. 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 




South Ludlow from Fourth. 
Photo from News Building. 




Corner of Fourth and Ludlow. 
Grace- M. E. Church and swimming horses. Over 1,400 horses perished in the water 



CENTRAL DAYTON 




Looking from Ludlow into Fifth. 

Showing several persons caught by the rapidly rising water. 
Man to right is wading on the sidewalk. 




Fifth and Ludlow an hour later 

Note the men struggling with the flood on debris to the right. 



in 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 




Looking west in Fifth Street from the corner of Ludlow. 




After effects at the Union Station 

Over 300 passengers and railroad employees were marooned on the second floor for 
three day-. Diet — rainwater and chocolate creams. 



CENTRAL DAYTON 




Flood scene looking from Fifth Street north on Ludlow. 
To the left is the Colonial Theatre and in the distance the Commercial Building. 




South on Ludlow from Fifth. 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 




The Railroad Bridge over the Miami 

Responsible to some extent for the flood damage to Dayton. L'ntil it was carried 
away it formed a dam that helped the water over the levees 




li >\ c< al ear- were run on t < > the railri ad bridge !■> ln>l(l it down, but t<> no avail 
When the bridge went down the water at once fell IS inches, 



CENTRAL DAYTON 















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Repairing the Railroad Bridge. 

One week after the flood the work was completed. The railroads lost in Dayton alone 

property valued at $10,0(10,000. 




Flood scene in Edgemont. 

Several persons were marooned on floating debris here for 48 hours. Photo from 

S. Summit Street. 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 




Flood at Corner of Main and Fifth. 
I 'h( >|i i by Bowers ox. 




Looking South on Main from Fifth. 
The flooded territory extended to the fool of the liill- in the distance. 



CENTRAL DAYTON 




The Old Log Cabin. 

Built in 1796 by Dayton's first inhabitant. Photo shows the point where the water 
first invaded the downtown district. The great wonder is that the log cabin was 
not washed away. Spectators watched the water here until the water reached 
their knees. They never dreamed that the water would get any higher. With this 
idea in mind it is not so strange that thousands of people were similarly caught 
in the streets of the city and had finally most miraculous escapes from death. 
There must lie some sort of hypnotic influence exerted by an angry river which 
puts people into a stupor until they are forcefully awakened by the col-J water 
rushing upon them. 



At KNOWLEDGMEXT. 

To the Honorable Messrs. Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States 
end James M. Inx, ( iovernor of Ohio, who provided us National and State aid of 
inestimable value ; to the National Red Cross Society ; to those valiant heroes who, 
forgetting they were merely mortal, braved the elements to save their fellow- 
men ; to Mr. John H. Patterson, our leading citizen and to the people of the 
United States, Dayton acknowledges undying gratitude. Your sympathy ex- 
tended in a thousand practical ways has put courage into a hundred thousand 
hearts and has saved from a beautiful city, the sinister effects of a great calamity. 

( )ur prayer is to Almighty God the ruler of the elements, that so long as 
human suffering remains so long may our citizens be ready to come to the re- 
lief of their distressed fellow-men. 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 



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Looking toward the corner of Main and Second. 

The Rike-Kumler Building in the foreground. This company, which is one of the best 

equipped department stores in the country, lost tremendously by the 

flood, hut is now running it> business as before. 








ScconqJ LiTOLOw t 



First Presbyterian Church on the corner. 

The flood left Dayton churches in a- pitiable condition a- the homes and More-. 



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CENTRAL DAYTON 



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Another view in West Second Strtet. 
Showing a corner of the Rike-Kumler Building to the right. 




Receding water at the corner of Third Street and Robert Boulevard. 
Note the high water mark on the building. 



27 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 




Flood Tide at Third and Jefferson. 

the buildings shown in this picture were burned a short time later. Lo"e Bros. 
Paint Store made- good kindling for the Maze as well as several other large paint 
stores in this block. The buildings in the background arc the scene of escape of 
28 people from fire as well as water. Sec ECirkbride's story on page 34. 



No story from the Dayton flood district has been more widely circulated 
and at the same time so greatly distorted as the one we have been fortunate 
enough to secure and print below. Newspapers all over the conn try printed 
the Kirkbride incident which we give as corrected by Mr. Kirkbride himself. 
When one stops to contemplate the magnitude of the flood and lire disaster in 
Dayton, he wonders how it was that so many thousands of people escaped with 
their lives. The story below tells why, and it is but one of hundreds of thrilling 
escapes which go to prove that it is not an ciisy matter to so corner an adult 



CENTRAL DISTRICT 




High water in South Jefferson Street. 
A show that the Jewel Theater had not booked and no amateur performance at that. 



human being that he will not be able, as a rule, to escape death. A man some- 
times does not knozv his strength till some emergency gives his brain and muscle 
the proper stimulus. You will be in tercsted in this story, which follows exactly 
as told by Mr. Kirkbride. 

At 6:30 Tuesday morning we were aroused by people passing down the street 
telling every one that the river would soon go over its banks and that they should 
all prepare for a flood. At that time the water was backing up in front of our 
house, we living just a square from the lowest point in the down-town district. 
I waded through water about eighteen inches deep for half a square, reached dry 
land and made my way down town. Nothing seemed to be unusual. The people 

20 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 




Flood Scene in East Third, near Jefferson. 
Showing some of tin- Quests of iIk- Beckel House 



were walking around the streets the same as any other day at that hour, I made 
my way to the office which is about seven squares from home. No water could 
be feen in either direction from our front door. Thinking that the flood scare 
did not amount to much, I wenl to a restaurant and gol breakfast. When I re- 
turned to the office the' porter was on hand and we started to gel our merchandise 
out of the basement to the first floor. This was probably 8:30 and the wain- was 
then coming over the levee and rushing down Third Street. 

The force of the current came directly across the Library Square and rushed 
down Third Street. After we had waded around up to our waists trying to take 
books and valuable papers to the second floor, we gave up and decided it was of 

30 



CENTRAL DAYTON 




Looking north on Jefferson, from the corner of Third. 
The more a man knows about water the more helpless he feels against such a current. 



no use to continue salvage operations. We went to the front window on the 
second floor that we might see the current carrying away the debris as it passed 
our building. We saw a bow clutching a piece of wood, come whirling around 
from St. Clair Street on to Third. He got footing in front of our place in the 
eddy and we helped him in, took him up stairs, rubbed him with towels, gave him 
a stimulant, and the onlv clothes we had to offer him, which was my cravenette. 

The water was rising very rapidly at the rate of about one inch a minute. 
We noticed the proprietor of he moving picture show immediately across the 
street from us, in the reel room. He seemed to be quite content the first few 
hours, but after the water had reached a level of about seven feet, he showed the 



Street Map of the City of Dayton 



Ivrkm Map 

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\\ an u Vicinity. 

;by FseDcucx J. Ceuakius.cz. 



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32 



laded part shows Flooded District. 



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BUSINESS DISTRICT 




We brought 28 people including women and children out of this fire block. 



distress sign by putting his head and shoulders out of the window of the reel 
room and making wild jesticulations. The rush of water on that side of the 
street was so ferocious that our calls to the men on the second floor of the build- 
ing adjoining the moving picture show, could not be heard. We megaphoned 
to them and by signaling, managed to let them know that the man was in distress. 
One of them crawled down on the cornice and threw a rope to him. lie tied it 
around his body below the anus and jumped into the water. Four men at the 
other end of the rope, by very skillful maneuvers which were almost entirely 
directed by us from across the way, managed to pull him through the window. 
We slept the rest of the morning. About two o'clock in the afternoon the walls 
of the drug store on the corner fell. This being only about seventy feet from our 
building, we thoughl it best to move. We climbed to the fourth story by means 
of a ladder, crawled up through the hatch to the roof. We found that all the 
people in our square had done the same thing. ( )ur building being the first one 
of the four story buildings on the square, we did a good deal of rescuing of people 
in the lower buildings between us and the corner, who had also crawled to the 
roof-. By means of a rope we pulled two women and five men ofi the rooi oi 
the b'inke Brothers' Notion Store. Then in the rear and from the roof of a 
building west of us. we rescued a man. his wife and little boy, who were standing 

34 



CENTRAL DISTRICT 

on a very low shed, the peak of which was just out of the water. The building" 
on which thev stood was about fifteen feet from the foot of the building on which 
we were standing. We threw a rope to them and the man tied it around his wife's 
body just under the arms and about ten of us men on the roof managed to pull 
her up on to the building. There was a stretch of fifteen feet over which she had 
to swing before we could pull her up. Xot being accustomed to such gymnastics. 
she bruised herself badly by striking against the wall. But the man and little boy 
profited by her experience and were able to break the force of the blow with 
their feet. It continued to rain the rest of the day and we killed time by walking 
around on the roofs of the nine buildings which are all one level. ( >ne build- 
ing was occupied by the Kiefaber Company, Commission Merchants, where we 
found lots of apples and grape fruit. The W. L. Adamson Company, wholesale 
grocers, supplied us with canned goods and tobacco. In Evans Brothers' whole- 
sale drug house we secured playing cards, and playing on hoxes- 
and benches, during the rain, helped to puss the time away. 

At 6:00 in the evening we all went to sleep installing ourselves in the Chas. 
A. Cooper Company's building on the second floor where they kept a large sup- 
ply of lap robes and horse blankets. The display tables which extended the 
length of the building, we made use of as beds. There were five women, one 
boy about twelve years old, and twenty-two men. Two men formed the lookout and 
every hour measured the rising stage of the water. The highest stage was 
reached at twelve o'clock Tuesday night. This was eight feet and eight inches 
on the floor of our building. This meant about eleven feet on Third Street. 

Our supply of drinking water was obtained from three galvanized iron tubs 
which we placed on the roof. These three tubs in about for hours would catch 
a bucket of water. 

On Wednesday, we all arose earl}*, had our breakfast of canned goods of 
every description and the men went to the roof for the morning smoke regardless 
of the pouring rain. Our rule was "No Smoking Below the Roof.'' About 
one o'clock in the afternoon of Wednesday, those in the front of the store look- 
ing out of the window, noticed the fire which originated in the drug store on the 
corner of Third and St. Clair Streets. There was a high wind blowing from the 
north and east which fanned the fire and it was only a matter of a few minutes 
until the two buildings on the corner were ablaze. Everybody went to the roof. 
A man whom we had taken from a boat and who had spent the night in Library 
Park in a tree, was the last one to reach the roof, as he had been sleeping between 
blankets and had to dress. He and I went to the roof together. I closed the 
hatches of the nine buildings to make sure that the fire would not jump. I knew 
there were fire walls between these buildings and that unless we gave the fire a 
good opportunity, it would be rather slow in reaching us. We all moved west 
over the roofs to the last one of the four-story buildings which was occupied by 
Sol Rauh & Sons Company. There we went down through the hatch and down the 
stairs to the second floor, leaving the building from the rear window. By 
climbing around on low roofs, soaked with water, we got into the Beckel Build- 

35 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 

ing, occupied by the Fourth National Hank, which is on the corner and just one 
block from where the fire started. It was ver) cold and there were but few of 
us who had wrap-- or overcoats. Nearly every one wore blankets taken from 
the i has. Cooper Company. We also carried provisions and water along with 
us. The tire gained headway rapidly and one at a time the buildings caught, the 
tire moving directly toward us. The tire walls seemed to have no resirtance what- 
ever but 1 learned later that it traveled along the cornice from building to build 
i 11 ^ and the strong wind moved it right in and flames would curl around the 
walls, break the windows and then the suction would draw the flames inside. 
We thought it best to move north on Jefferson Street toward the river, as we 
would gain higher ground hv going in that direction. We led the Fourth 
National Bank Building, crawled over the roof of the Traction Depot, into the 
side entrance of a building and traveled north on the cornice- to the Simms 
Building on the corner of the alley. We could not cross the alley, the water 
being probably eight feet dee]). The current was strong so that it was impossible 
for any one to swim. By means of a rope we got the women acrors die alley 
with food provisions and water. The men followed. We reached Groneweg's 
bindery from the window in the south side and again made our way north by 
passing from building to building around the cornice-. Where the cornices were 
not on a level, we stretched a rope in m window to window as a hold, and where 
they were unusually dangerous we stretched two ropes and the women crawled 
between them. When we reached the Johnson Printing Company, we were able 
to walk with perfect ease, the cornice being wider. We passed through the 
printing establishment to the rear window and then by means of a ladder reached 
the low roof- of out buildings and entered a residence on Second Street. Of 
course, a- we traveled from the hank building north, all the place- being occupied 
and everybody wishing to reach safety, there were about seventy-five who were 
in this residence. The weight being so great, the men were fearful that it might 
collapse. By means of a ladder, we overflowed into Geiger's residence which 
was the next door ea-t. From there we took to the water, made our way across 
Second Street, some going north and some west to the Rike-Kumler building. 
The water on Second Street was then up to our shoulders. The current was so 
strong that we would not have been able to cross Second Street had it not been 
for the rope which we managed to get across and had securely fastened at each 
end. 

It was rather hard to keep track of the lime and I noticed my watch hail 
Stopped at twenty minutes after six. We had keen nearly six hour- and had only 
traveled two and one half squares. The tire had by this time burned the buildings 
which we had first occupied and was gradually traveling toward us. Most oi the 
low buildings in the rear and up to the alley were ablaze. Five of us spent the 
night ;it the tddings residence at the corner of First and Jefferson streets. We 
fell safe here as we were one square away from the burning block and the wind 
was hi' >w ing away fr< >m us. 

The next morning at about six o'clock, we left tddings and waded through 
the water across Jefferson Street, west on First to the Victoria Theatre, then 



CENTRAL DISTRICT 




Steele High School Building 

Suffered from the violence of the current. 



north on Alain Street and reached dry land in front of the Peckham garage 
on Main Street, which is about the highest point in the down-town dis- 
trict. There was water east, west, and south and he river on the north. I went 
to the home of I. W. Johnson on Monument Avenue where I changed my clothes 
and started to look for food and water. It was very cold, snow was falling and 
every one was in distress. The gas had not been turned on, of course, and few 
people had coal and no alcohol at the drug stores. The first warm food we had 
we got at a soup house temporarily installed at the engine house. We waited our 
turn in line which was fully a square long. 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 




Looking north up the Miami and Erie Canal. 

To the right and to the left in St. Clair Street. Photo from Fifth Street Canal Viaduct. 

In 1866 this canal caused a flood which reached a depth of over 

four feet in Main Street. 




Looking West in Fifth Street from the Canal. 
Snow added to the sufferings of refugees in attic- and on housetops. 



38 



CENTRAL DAYTON 




East Third Street from Wayne Avenue. 




West Third Street from Crescent. 

The water here reached a depth of over 15 feet completely overtopping 
the street car in the center. 



39 



BUSINESS DISTRICT 




The remains cf the West Fifth Street Bridge over the Miami. 

Our steel concrete bridges held like adamant and one of this sort w 
replace this old steel and masonrj type. 



<£^» 






Miller's Bridge, South of Dayton. 
No chance for such a bridge t<i outlive the flood 



CENTRAL DISTRICT 




View along the Miami and Erie Canal. Puzzle — Find the Canal. 





i ' 



Scene in Riverdale Street. 



41 



DAYTON VIEW 




The Dayton View Bridge. 

Hundreds of flood victims were broughl to safety across this bridge. The Relief 
Organization of Dayton View was unsurpassed. 

RES( >LVED !— Since the Flood 

1 hat the definition of luxury depends upon your environment. 

That a little candle makes a good light. 

I li.it eggs may be fried in a furnace, but thai success depends upon ex- 
perience. 

That rain water is better than no drink at all. 

That Mr. Patterson should be our next President. 

["hat a gasoline stove is the height of luxury. 

I hat he is lucky who ordered enough coal. 

That Major Rhoads knows his business. 

That it is a blamed peculiar sensation to have a khaki-clad youngster assume 
charge of your automobile when you arc in a big hurrj to gi ' the other way. 

That we have had our last il 1. 

Thai water is all right in its place. 

'I hat we arc glad the X. ('. K. is on high -round. 

That there i- no country on earth like the old U. S. A. and no heart - i big 
a- an American's. 

'I hat the elements must "go sonic"' to gel the average Daytonian. 

That a man don't know hi- strength until he must' 

That the flood left the best there is in us — courage! 

i j 



DAYTON VIEW 



V 




The Up-stream, or East Side of Dayton View Bridge. 

Showing the flood high above the apertures of the bridge and the latter 
clogged with wrecked houses. 




Down Stream or West Side of Dayton View Bridge. 

Note the swell of the water as it sweeps under the bridge, 



RIVERDALE 




Rescue Scene in Grand Avenue. 

Refugees being brought in and food and clothing being taken to marooned sufferers. 
Eleroic rescue work centered at this point. 




Locking East in Lehman Street and along Riverdale Levee. 

Marked by trees to the right. This is the lowest part of Riverdale and great hav< i 

was done here. 



RIVERDALE 




Looking East on Palmer from Forest Avenue. 

One block down this street the water was fifteen feet deep. McKinley Park to right. 




Another View of the Lehman Street Levee. 

Showing the Main Street Bridge and Steel High School in the distance. Many 
Riverdale houses made their exit through this channel. 



RIVERDALE 




:J*' iSf'^^K^ 




Rescue work being carried on to the north of Main Street Bridge in Riverdale. 




Another Rescue Scene in Riverdale. 
I ' . . [roni t lu- In d ' 



RIVERDALE 




Levee at the Riverdale end of the Steele Dam. 

Showing how the current by flowing over the levee wore it down. The levee 

did not break. 




The White City Bridge. 

It will require some work to put White City back on the map as an amusement park. 



NORTH DAYTON 




Wrecked House in North Dayton. 
15,000 families were either permanently or temporarily rendered homeless by the flood. 



iv 



NORTH DAYTON 




Valley Street at Corner of Troy. 




Grocery Store at the Corner of Troy and Valley Sts., North Dayton. 



49 



NORTH DAYTON 




Troy Street, looking South from Leonard St., North Dayton. 




The North End of Troy Street. 
Photo from Leonard Street, North Dayton. 



NORTH DAYTON 




Another Scene of Destruction in North Dayton. 




High Water in North Dayton. 



r,i 



NORTH DAYTON 




North Dayton is the Lowest Part of the City. 




Th is is not an unusual sight, as almost every block in the city 
has houses in such disorder. 



NORTH DAYTON 







For many days every person in the city was dependent upon charity for their food. 

Clothing and fuel were given out also. Millionaires were as 

helpless to buy provisions as paupers. 




Nearly 15,000 Homes were Flood Bound. 

Some of the finest residences in the city were affected as well as 
the lowly cottage of the poorest citizen. 

53 



SOUTH PARK 




Looking North from the Fairgrounds, and West of Main Street at Apple. 
One-story cottages in distress. 




Another View from the Fairgrounds. 
Many thrilling rescues were made here. The current was verj dangerous 



54 



SOUTH PARK 




Looking North from Fairgrounds, near Corner of Main and Apple. 

Skyscrapers in Business District in distance. From this point the 
flooded territory extended three miles north. 




Corner of Main and Apple Streets. 
From which point, Mr. Patterson directed heroic rescue work. 



55 



SOUTH PARK 




Looking South in Main Street from Apple. 

Escaping to dry land by walking on aerial telephone cables. Thirty nun and women 

walked three squares on these wires when the grocery at Main 

and Vine exploded, setting fire to their block. 




South Main Street, locking North from Apple. 

A string of loaded freight car- was pushed through the water on the street railway 

track- to assist in re-cue work. The house to the right is 

floating in the middle of Main Street. 



SOUTH PARK 




Burns Avenue in Southeast Dayton. 

Where many lives were lost in the violent current. Whole blocks of houses 
were carried away and no traces of them found. 




Looking East on Apple Street from Main. Receding Water. 



SOUTH PARK 




Some of the Destruction on Burns Avenue. 
Taken at the corner of Morton. 




When the Water Went Down. 
\tu-r three clays' rarflpage, some streets were hardly recognizable. 



SOUTH PARK 




South Brown Street, looking North from Wyoming. 



Mi 




laM 




Showing Rescue Work in South Brown Street. 
One can hardly imagine the water within two squares of Woodland Cemetery. 



59 



WEST DAYTON 




West of Negley Place 
Showing part of Miami City and the bridge across Wolf Creek 




Near the Corner of Grimes and Edgewater in Miami City. 
The horse in the- center distance is standing on the levee. 



WEST DAYTON 




Rear of Grimes Street at Edgewater. 




Looking South of Negley Place. 
On a part of Miami City. 



•;i 



WEST DAYTON 




The Western Edge of the Flood on West Third Street 
Extended to the Malleable Iron Works beyond Conover Street. 




Looking East from Conover Street into West Third. 
Near the railroad crossing at Conover Street. 



62 



WEST DAYTON 




Flood Ruins on Third Street, near Mound, looking South. 




The Western Edge of the Flood on West Fifth Street 
Extended to Conover Street. 



63 



MAY 15 1913 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



014 750 181 P 






THE OTTERBEIN PRESS 
DAYTON, OHIO. 



